The Vermillion Tales
by Swamp Fairy
Summary: Jacob, Alelle, and Shelley were thrilled to begin their first year at the American wizarding school. They had no idea of the danger that lurked in wait- or the destiny that would tie them together.
1. Chapter 1

****Hey there! Welcome to the Vermillion Institute of Magic, and thanks for checking out my story. It's set during the same time as the books (this would be Harry's 3rd year), only in America. I was super inspired by the awesome story "Friends, Enemies, and Newids" by Muentiger. Go read it if you have the time!****

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><p><em><strong>A Brief History Of Magic in North America:<strong>_

_Since the beginnings of North American civilization, there have been witches and wizards. Some Amerindian nations even knew of and accepted their existence. When the Western European immigrants arrived, however, they were slaughtered, degraded, and driven away with the rest of their peoples. The majority of this summary will focus on European-American magic._

_Three young Hogwarts graduates were the first British wizards to venture into the new world, and they did so with one of the earlier colonization missions. They established a town to be inhabited by European magic-wielders, and quickly more colonists arrived. They faced the same challenges as all of the old world conquerors, although magic gave them a great advantage over the muggle explorers and granted them more success in establishing a prosperous society._

_As soon as the first wizarding village had been established and other magic-wielders had settled in non-magic societies, the three original settlers turned to building an American wizarding school. They selected an unspecified mountain range, but rather than construct an elaborate castle, they built a sort of enormous university, which was coming into style at the time. They used many enchantments similar to those of Hogwarts to protect the buildings and grounds, although the layout is very different._

_Instead of Hogwart's four houses, Vermillion has three, named after the three founders: Aaron Ashrod (former Gryffindor), Landor Laywilt (former Ravenclaw), and Barren Baskwood (former Slytherin). The qualities emphasized by the new houses are also different from those in England. Another important difference is the age of students- instead of housing 11 to 17 year-olds, Vermillion has 6 years of study for those of 14 to 19 years of age._

_They quickly selected a headmaster and turned their attention to establishing a body of government. At first, it was tied back to the British Ministry of Magic, but when muggle America split off during the Revolutionary War, so did magical America. Our government change paralleled the growth of the muggle government, ending with a bicameral legislature and a president of magic. The split drove the magical governments of the United Kingdom and the United States apart, and the two never made peace. While there is no active war, there is also almost no contact._

_While Voldemort may have risen to and fallen from power in Europe, his journey still impacted the USA, and he had many agents (known throughout most of the world as Death Eaters) stationed in America, perpetuating a similar warfare on our own turf. Since his fall and the incarceration of his followers, there have been no wizards to perpetuate a comparable level of horror in the United States of America._

The book slipped off the table and crashed to the floor with a bang; the sudden noise awakened the only occupant of the room. Jacob Hayer-Bently, exactly 14 years of age, sat straight up where he had slumped forwards onto his desk. He rubbed his eyes, glancing around to see what had disturbed him. Night had fallen and the room was pitch black, but he had walked the path from his desk to the window so many times he didn't so much as falter as he climbed to his feet. He leaned against the sill and peered out at the thousands of city lights blinking below and above.

He had known what he was since he was old enough to play with the wands that spouted bubbles or the action figures that engaged in death matches his mother sent him from whichever exotic destination she was visiting. Still, it was his muggle father who had raised him and he had always had some knowledge gaps. He hadn't even realized he was doing anything out of the ordinary until a kindly witch working as an Arts and Crafts teacher had pulled him aside one day to explain that other kids couldn't make the paint change colors.

The New York City suburb they lived in had a high witch/wizard population, so even though his father wasn't magic, his babysitter and many of his neighbors and classmates were. In fact, anyone you saw on the streets of their neighborhood probably had a 50-50 chance of being magic. The muggles of the area lived in blissful ignorance of the world that turned right around them.

Jacob stretched and opened his desk drawer, pawed through the dozens of moving postcards from his mom until he found the thick yellowed envelope from the school. He pulled it out and just held it- he had already read it so many times that he knew it by heart. He had always known he was going to Vermillion, it wasn't any sort of surprise. But he could honestly say that he had never been so excited in his life. Tonight, however, there was a damper on the happiness that had buoyed him for the past week. It was 11 o'clock, and if his father didn't get home soon, he would miss his 14th birthday.

Lila chirped at him and he turned to scratch the bird under her chin. She was a stuffed parrot the size of a loaf of bread, bright red and yellow and blue with black glass eyes. Most of his mother's charms wore off after a few months, but Lila had been flying and singing for 3 years and showed no signs of sinking back to lifelessness any time soon.

Jacob sighed. It was a Saturday, and he'd spent the day alone excepting a stuffed bird. There were kids he knew, kids he got along with, but he really just didn't have friends. He felt too bad keeping his magic a secret around the muggle kids and he'd never gotten along well with the young witches and wizards in his neighborhood. That was why he was so excited to attend Vermillion: he wanted to find a place where he fit in.

The door downstairs open and shut. Jacob headed out of his room and down the narrow hallway, smiling to himself.

"Happy birthday, Jacob," his father called. Jacob imagined him hanging his jacket on the hook behind the door. "What did you do today?"

"Me and a couple of friends went down to Central Park." Well, at least it was only partly a lie.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I got some cake, if you're still hungry."

"Of course!"

His dad turned on the light in the kitchen, revealing fading blue walls. Jacob hopped up onto a stool by the counter and watched as his dad navigated the cramped room. He was African American and proud of it, although you couldn't tell by the way he stood, seeming almost to draw back into himself. He had the same dark hair as Jacob, the same dark eyes, and people always saw the blood tie right away.

"Do you have everything you need for school next week? Have you started packing yet?" his father asked, setting a slice of chocolate cake down in front of him.

He nodded, taking a bite. "I can't wait."

There was a pause. "Have... have you heard from your mom since you got your letter?"

Jacob shook his head, struggling all of a sudden to swallow. "Not for a few months."

They finished the cake in a familiar silence. Jacob rinsed his plate and headed out, but his father unexpectedly reached out and touched his shoulder. "Don't forget your gift."

The box was small, twice the size of his fist maybe, and wrapped in shiny red paper. He opened it quickly to find a brand new baseball, signed by Willie Banks. "So you can take a bit of muggle New York with you," his father explained.

"Thanks," Jacob said quietly, smiling.

"Anytime. Now get to bed!"

He traipsed down the narrow hallway, tossing the ball from hand to hand. In a week, he would be at Vermillion.

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><p>The twins were fighting and Sarene was practicing piano and father was talking with acquaintances and mother was shouting at a house elf. Alelle had escaped to the office where she stacked books into castles and enacted battles with pieces from her father's wizard chess set. She knew that at 14 she was too old to be playing with toys, mother told her so all the time, but occasionally she couldn't stop herself. She wasn't allowed to climb trees or practice flying, after all. She had to find something to do with her time or she'd go mad.<p>

She was just biding her time until school, really. Her acceptance letter had already been framed on the wall above her father's desk, beside Sarene's and Madrin's. It was the only time her name appeared among the dozens of awards and drawings. Still, she couldn't help but smile as her eyes lighted on it. Maybe now she would have a chance to prove that she had just as much to offer to her family and the world as the rest of her siblings. She had always felt out of place.

They had already been shopping- she had robes, books, a wand (Aspen wood, Banshee lace, 9 3/4 in, springy), a tiny mewling kitten by the name of Sherwood, and a whole host of assorted magic and non-magic supplies she would need. Going down to the Sorcerer's Bazaar had been more fun than she'd expected, even with her family along. Granted, the twins hadn't stopped causing trouble for two mintues and Sarene spent nearly two hours in the bookshop, but for once the afternoon was about her.

Mother had gone off to find Sarene, taking the twins with her, and left Alelle all on her own for a half hour or so. She'd bought an enormous chocolate ice cream cone and wandered down the cobble stone streets, peering in the shining windows at the whirring, chirping objects on the display cases. It was a hot day with a never-ceasing breeze, and people bustled every which way. She was alone in the middle of a crowd, and for once, Alelle was _happy_.

And then, of course, they had gone home and everything had gone back to normal. But now, she was simply waiting. Soon, very soon, she would escape all of this pointlessness.

The office door opened and Alelle jumped, accidentally destroying her castles. Her father stood looking down at her with a faint air of puzzled surprise, struggling to connect her to her two perfect older siblings. He had never really connected with any of his children, but with his middle daughter least of all.

"Alelle," he murmured at last. "What are you doing in here?"

"I'm sorry," she said, trying to gather his chess pieces off the floor. He sighed and stayed standing, waiting until she had finished cleaning up.

"I think your mother's looking for you," he said, taking a seat at her desk and unscrewing his pen cap. "Go and find her."

"Yes sir," she said, fingers crossed behind her back, and left the room.

Downstairs, Sarene started in on a fast-paced waltz. Alelle took the stairs to the attic two at the time- they never thought to look for her up there, among the old monogrammed trunks and spiderwebs. Sunlight fell in strips on the floor from cracks in the ceiling, tiny specks of dust sailing through the rays. She laid on her back and stared up at the slivers of blue sky.

When she was younger, she'd loved to playact that she was a gallant knight or a fearless explorer or even an astronaut. She remembered tumbling around in the dirt with Madrin before he didn't have time to play anymore, racing him up trees as Sarene begged them to come back down before someone got hurt. Mother had always been furious when she returned home with bloodied knees and torn dresses. After all, she had to uphold the family name. She was a pureblood high-class witch, and she needed to act like it.

She rolled over onto her stomach and peered through a hole in the wood. It led down into a guest bedroom, but some stray bit of magic had gone wrong and looking through it you saw the living room instead. Sarene's blond curls, nearly identical to Alelle's (although better brushed), bounced in time to the rhythm of the music. One of the twins scampered across the carpet and out of sight into the dining room. She sighed and rolled back over. She simply didn't fit in that picture.

There was a loud crack as Binda apparated into the attic. Alelle sat up.

"Time to come to dinner, miss," the house elf said, lower lip trembling.

"Did mother discipline you again?" Alelle asked.

Binda nodded sadly. "Binda must learn to obey her commands, miss. She deserved it."

Alelle frowned and straightened the knotted pillowcase the servant wore as a hat. She had been with their family since the accident, and mother always treated her more harshly than the other elves. She was Alelle's favorite, however. "I'm sorry."

"Mistress seemed very impatient that miss comes to dinner," she said.

"Alright, I'm going," she groaned, climbing to her feet. Seven more days, she reminded herself. Seven more days.

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><p>Shelley's parents hadn't quite been able to reconcile themselves with the whole situation yet. Conversation at dinner time had been forcibly normal each night (ignoring the half curious, half frightened glances they couldn't seem to control), and they had taken her shopping for school supplies, after all. Still, she knew that they were just waiting for hidden camerapeople to jump out and shout "surprise!" After all, it wasn't every day a kindly old man turned up on your doorstep to tell you your daughter was a wizard.<p>

She was shocked too, of course, but it made sense. Strange things had always happened to her. In fifth grade, a four-leaf clover rage had run its gambit and she had found one every single time she looked. And then only a year ago, she had fallen through a patch of ice to the pond below and still climbed out completely dry. Now she understood why and an enormous new world had opened up for her.

They'd went shopping a week or so ago, and she'd already read all of the books they got- the ones on the school list, and a few extras just because. She'd been too scared to try any actual magic, although she hadn't let her 10 inch pine-with-owl-bone wand out of her sight. She didn't know if she was scared that she'd make a mistake and burn the house down or scared that she wouldn't be able to actually do any magic. Probably both.

"Dinner in ten, Shel," her mom called out of the kitchen. Her parents owned a family bookshop and they lived in the flat above. She'd grown up with books for her best friends, reading everything she could get her hands on. They were in a cold corner of nowhere, Minnesota, and in the winter, barely an evening went by where she wasn't curled in front of the fire with a collection of poetry or an autobiography. Books, however, could never really dispel the longing she felt for actual people who understood her.

"Alright," she called back, shutting _The Basics of Potionery _and setting it on top of the teetering pile beside her bed. She picked her way over the heaps of robes and brand new-magical devices to the bathroom to wash her hands. People often assumed that because she was smart she was also organized, but her disaster of a bedroom quickly dispelled that notion.

"So you'll be leaving in a few days," her dad said as she took her seat. He said it casually, although his voice was carefully controlled.

She swallowed her spaghetti too quickly and nearly choked. When she had cleared her throat, she answered. "One more week."

"Are you excited?" her mom asked.

She nodded empathetically. "I can't wait. I've read most of the books already. I heard they have an incredibly library, though."

"I got a few books while we were out, too," mom said, nodding. "They certainly helped me to understand all of this." Her father shrugged. Shelley's mother was the reader, her father was the businessman. He liked to read, too, he just didn't devour everything with words on it the way his wife and daughter did.

"We're going to miss you a lot, Shel," dad told her. "Are you going to condescend to write to us and let us know how you're doing?"

"Of course!" she affirmed. "Bat mail!"

Her father laughed, clearly not sure whether or not she was joking. Well, according to _Vermillion: 1723- Present_, which supposedly updated itself with important events, Bat Mail was indeed the main method of communication, although many students used birds instead (because bats might be good postmen, but they don't make the best pets). She didn't have any animals yet- she was allergic to cats, afraid of rats and toads, and not particularly well-versed in the care of birds. She had gotten an odd little puffball that rolled around in its cage and slept in socks and did absolutely nothing else.

"Not vampires, I hope?" her dad asked, only half-kidding.

"Don't worry- vampires only bite on Thursdays," was her sarcastic reply.

Conversation for the rest of the evening came easy, like it hadn't since she'd gotten her letter. Her mom even asked her to help with the dishes again, what used to be a nightly tradition.

"Is it really all true?" she asked Shelley, elbow-deep in warm, soapy water. "I know about the magic, but I mean werewolves and vampires and ghosts and what not? How much of the Brothers Grimm should I believe?"

Shelley shrugged. "I don't really know. I'll let you know when I get there."

"Well, take care of yourself," her mom said. "We fully expect you to write home once a week."

"I'll do my best," Shelley grinned. "Don't worry, mom. I'll be fine. I'll be happy."

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><p><strong>Ta-da! How'd you like? Please please pretty please leave a review! I honestly use concrit to improve my work, if that's what you have for me.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, all! I meant to update in one week, I'm a day late, but not too bad. Thanks to everyone who reviewed... enjoy! :D**

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><p>Vermillion had arranged a portkey site in each of the 50 states, and the one in New York was a 2-hour drive from Jacob's apartment. He piled his trunks in the backseat of the tiny, beat-up old car early Sunday morning, watching as several other families on his street did the same. He was the only first year. A few of the others waved, but none tried to talk to him.<p>

The radio crackled between static and quiet classical music as they drove. No conversation was exchanged- both father and son were off in their own separate worlds. Lila sat contentedly on Jacob's lap, pecking occasionally at the window that was stuck an inch open and allowed wind to rush into the car. The sun was out but it was a cool morning and Jacob was wishing he'd worn a jacket. They stopped to get lunch on the way up, and two hours and eighteen minutes later, they pulled up to the site.

There were slightly more than a dozen kids and nearly twice as many nervous parents grouped around a thin, stammering young man with white-blond hair under a crooked wizard hat checking names off a list.

"Jacob Hawyer-Bently," he told the wizard, slightly out of breath as he struggled with his many trunks.

"Excellent," the man said, blinking furiously as he wrote. "You can put your bags on that trunk over there, then go ahead and join your new classmates."

Jacob silently obeyed. A few of the older kids chatted among themselves, but most were quiet. There was one other boy there who looked like a first year- he looked like he was trying to decide whether or not to puke. Jacob offered him a tentative smile. He blanched and looked away.

"Alright," called the frazzled wizard, trying to get their attention. "I am Professor Limeweather, and I teach Advanced Mathematics and Flight at Vermillion. It's great to see you all here today. We will be traveling to the base of the mountain by portkey, and ride up from their in carriages."

The nervous boy slowly raised his hand. Each second it took for him to get it high enough in the air to catch the professor's attention looked like a renewed struggle. "Wha-what's a por-portkey?"

"It's an object that can transport you anywhere instantaneously. Any other concerns? No? Very well, bid your parents goodbye. We'll be leaving in two minutes."

"Well, have a good year. Write often," his father told him. They shook hands instead of hugging like many of the other crying families around them. Jacob thought with a pang of his mother- was she thinking of him now? He pushed the thought down and gave his father a small smile.

"Alright, now, alright!" Professor Limeweather called, completely ignored until he began shouting. "The portkeys leave whether you're holding on or not!" There was a mad scramble for everyone to grab hold of one of the miscellaneous objects scattered across the ground. Jacob found himself clutching at a large golden button.

"Hold on tight, we don't want anyone left behind!" shouted Limeweather. "Here we go! 3... 2... 1!"

Jacob blinked and looked around. They were crouched on the same grassy hill, parents waving behind them.

"Hm," Limeweather said. "Perhaps my watch is-"

And then there was a strong pull in the pit of Jacob's stomach and he felt his feet leave the ground. The world was blurring around him into a mess of blue and green and brown, he was spinning so quickly he lost all sense of up and down. He was starting to feel nauseous and then once again he hit dirt and collapsed. Slowly, unsteadily he stood. Nearby the nervous-looking first year was on all fours, finally puking into a bush as an older girl patted his back. Most of the kids, he was relieved to see, were also on the ground, even Professor Limeweather.

Jacob turned his attention from the people to the setting. They were in a wide green field with dozens of other students, some still appearing, besides a long line of single-horse carriages. Enormous mountains rose up on all sides of them, some of bare rock, some covered with trees, others disappearing into the clouds. He'd left NYC before, but had never been so totally immersed in nature. There wasn't a building anywhere in sight.

Limeweather had dusted himself off and gone to join a group of adults on the other side of the field. There was a clear division between professors and government workers, and the two groups glared at each other with notable distrust.

One last group of only two students spilled onto the far edge of the field and one of the teachers stepped forwards to get everyone's attention. Unlike Limeweather, he was perfectly self-assured and glared around with a peremptory manner, ensuring that the students' chatter died down as his gaze landed on them.

"Welcome, all of you, to the new year at Vermillion," he said dryly. He was middle-aged, tall and rather muscular with close-cut gray hair. "I am Professor Wyatt, deputy headmaster. We know that you must be eager to get up to the campus, so we ask that you choose a carriage without too much hassle. No more than five apiece, please. I assume that I don't need to cover any ground rules quite yet. Please behave responsibly." A pause. "Well, get to it! Very good." He turned on his heel and headed back to the rest of the teachers. Jacob looked at the crush of students around him, the blue sky above him, and grinned broadly.

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><p>Alelle had used portkeys before, so it wasn't as much of a shock to her as it was to the other first year in her group. Still, standing in the center of the ring of mountains had been like looking around for the first time after being transported to an entirely different world.<p>

The stampede for carriages started and she hung back a bit. Sarene had made it perfectly clear that they were not _friends_ and were not to behave as such, and she certainly didn't know anyone else (aside from the perfectly horrid children of her parents' friends), and the whole situation was a bit overwhelming even for her.

She wandered down to the very last carriage, which contained a single girl inside, a nervous-looking redhead. Alelle jumped up onto the running board and stuck her head in the window.

"Hi," she said brightly. "Mind if I share?"

"Sure," she said, giving her a timid smile in return. "I'm Shelley. This is my first year here."

"Alelle, and same." She hopped inside and took the cushioned seat across from her and looking out the window at the horse pulling their carriage. There was something strange about all of them- it took her a moment to realize that they were all exactly the same, down to the scar on the left flank. Weird. She was about to comment when another face appeared at the window.

"Can I hop in?" the boy asked. His voice was high for someone his age, tinged with a slight accent.

Alelle looked to Shelley- it was her carriage, after all. She nodded and he climbed in, sat beside Shelley, and gave Alelle a nervous smile.

"I'm Alelle. That's Shelley," she introduced.

"Jacob," he replied, as all at once, the horses began moving. Shelley pulled a thick book out of her shoulder bag and started to read.

"You're hoping to be a Laywilt, then?" Alelle asked, trying to start a conversation. Shelley jumped upon realizing that she was talking to her, but was saved from answering when Jacob spoke up.

"What's a Laywilt?" he asked.

Alelle wasn't entirely sure if he was joking. "The house. Are your parents muggles?"

"My mom was a witch," he said. "But my dad raised me." Well. Alelle didn't particularly care about bloodlines, but there were many who would. She wondered if he knew about that aspect of wizarding life yet.

"Okay. Well, there are three houses at Vermillion: Laywilt, Ashrod, and Baskwood. You stay in dorms and take classes with the kids in your house."

"How do you know what house you're in?" he asked curiously.

"You have to answer a question, I think," she told him. "They each emphasize different qualities. Laywilt is for the thinkers-" She pointed to Shelley, who turned a page in her book- "Ashrod is for doers, and Baskwood is for dreamers. All my family's Laywilt." She had better be in Laywilt, too, or she would never hear the end of it. Of course, if she wasn't, she'd have to spend less time with Sarene, but nonetheless...

Jacob nodded seriously, considering this. "I don't know what I'll be in," he said at last. "Not Ashrod, I suppose."

"Maybe we'll be in the same house," Alelle said hopefully.

They rode up twisting, turning paths for at least an hour. Alelle chattered on for most of the time, Jacob interjecting every once in a while. Shelley put her book away after a few minutes and relaxed enough to talk. The sky outside had started out as blue, but clouds were starting to drift across the sky. It was still warm inside the carriage, however, and Alelle was enjoying herself. She hoped the other two were, too. She liked them.

Just then, their carriage jolted sharply. All three teenagers climbed to their knees to peer out the windows. "Do you think this is supposed to happen?" asked Jacob, apparently more excited than nervous.

"Probably," Alelle answered, more confidently than she felt. "They're just trying to scare us." But that wasn't what it looked like- their carriage was drawing farther and farther from the rest of the line, and their horse was rearing and kicking, eyes rolled back in its head and froth flying from its mouth. Then without any warning, it turned and raced off the path, dragging the carriage along behind it.

Shelley shrieked as she was thrown off her seat, her book clapping Jacob on the ear as it sailed past. Alelle leapt forwards to help her, and then the carriage was plunging, quickly, quickly, racing down a hill.

"The horse broke loose!" Jacob shouted, as Alelle was thrown head over heels beside her friend. "We're going to-" And then the world jolted to a halt.

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><p>Shelley opened her eyes slowly and found herself on her back, staring up at a darkly clouded sky through a window where the roof should have been. She slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, patting her limbs and head to check for injury. What would her parents think if she got hurt before she even made it to the school? The carriage was on its side but otherwise unharmed- spelled to keep it and them relatively safe, she thought dimly- and leaned back against the roof. Jacob and Alelle were on the floor too, both apparently still unconscious.<p>

Shelley's breath hitched in her throat as she crawled over to them. She fought against tears of shock. "Al-Alelle," she called shaking her gently. She stirred and blinked. Shelley released a sigh.

"What happened?" Alelle asked, sitting up.

"The horse broke lose and we went down the hill, I think," Shelley told her. "Here, help me wake Jacob." She shook him in the same manner, but he didn't move. His chest was at least still rising and falling, but a tremor of fear ran through her nonetheless.

"Let me try," Alelle said, pushing Shelley aside. She raised a small hand and slapped him.

"What was that for?" he demanded blurrily, raising his fists to rub his eyes.

"Our carriage crashed," Alelle said, crawling to the window. "Come on, we need to see where we are." She shakily pushed it open and crawled through. Jacob followed, Shelley bringing up the rear.

Sure enough, they were at the bottom of a hill, but not the same field where they started. This hill was more a patch of grass between an extremely rocky slope they had tumbled down and wild forest. Thunder crackled in the distance and somewhere among the trees, and animal growled savagely. Shelley blamed the cold on the shivers that suddenly wracked her body.

"We have to climb up," she said, voice shaking nearly as hard as she was. "The teachers will be able to find us if we're on the road."

Jacob gulped but nodded and Alelle was already making her way to the rocks. She stood with round fists on hips, presumably looking for a relatively clear path.

"Over there," Shelley suggested to her. The thunder cracked for a second time and it began to rain. Shelley's sweatshirt grew heavy with the water, and the other two who were wearing short sleeves quickly became drenched.

"Let's go, then," Alelle said determinedly, and began to climb. It had gone from relatively warm to absolutely freezing in a very short period of time, and the trail was slippery and muddy. Shelley fell several times, wrenching her ankle, but she ground her teeth and didn't complain. There was no way to measure the time but if felt like hours passed where they were struggling against the fierce wind.

They stopped a dozen feet or so from the the top. It turned into a nearly sheer slope from there on out. Alelle groaned loudly and sat with a thump upon a nearby rock.

"I don't think I can climb that," Shelley said over the wind. Her legs were trembling beneath her. "What do we do?"

The three looked at each other. The girls' hair whipped around their faces, Jacob had a nasty scrape across his cheek.

"Can you climb it?" Jacob asked Alelle at last. "You were way ahead of us on the rest of the hill."

She regarded it again. "I... I think so," she said uncertainly.

"Then you climb it to try to find help. Shelley and I will wait here," he suggested. She nodded, face set and brown eyes gleaming as lightning flashed overhead.

"You're going to need to give me a boost over there," she told him, cracking her knuckles. "Let's do it." The two followed her over a ways, Shelley stood back and watched as Jacob laced his fingers together and held them out for her to step on.

"1... 2... 3," he counted, and she shot into the air, grabbed at a hand-hold. Her fingers scrabbled at the wet rock but she finally latched on. Jacob took a step back, letting out a sigh of relief. The two watched in silence as she doggedly scaled the wall. There was one near-miss moment where one hand slipped off and she dangled for what felt like an eternity, but she eventually heaved herself back up. Finally her arms, torso, legs disappeared over the top. Shelley and Jacob cheered. She stuck her head over and waved, then vanished into the gloom.

"Let's hope she brings someone soon," Shelley said quietly, taking a seat.

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><p><strong>Thanks for reading! Please leave a review; they make my day.<strong>


	3. Chapter 3

**A week and a day, once again. Ah, well. Enjoy!**

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><p>The rain eased up, thankfully, until it was more of a misting, but nonetheless Jacob was wet, muddy, tired, and far more scared than he wanted to admit. Only a halo of white behind the clouds indicated the moon rising over the forest.<p>

"How long do you think Alelle's been gone?" he asked Shelley nervously. They hadn't spoken since Alelle had vanished. Jacob may have liked the conversation, but he had a feeling Shelley was more comfortable without it. Instead they sat close to each other, staring off into different directions and simply waiting. But he couldn't keep quite any more.

"20 minutes?" she guessed. "But we don't know how far away the school was, and she may have to walk all the way up." She was taller than Jacob by several inches but looked small, then, folded up into herself.

"They'll find us soon," he promised her.

"I know. It's just... not the start to the year that I was hoping for."

"You're telling me."

She took off her sweatshirt and draped it over a nearby rock, to hopefully dry out a bit, and stood shivering with goosebumps all up her arms. "Do you think they'll tell our parents about this?" she asked.

Jacob shuddered. "I hope not." If his father found out... well, actually, he probably wouldn't do anything at all. There was a long pause. "Want to hear a riddle?"

"Sure."

"What walks on four legs at morning, two legs in the afternoon, and three legs at night?"

"A human. Everyone's heard that one. Too easy."

"Alright. Well, what belongs to you but others use it more than you do?"

"Hm." Shelley frowned. "Let me think about it." She made a few random guesses. Their words sounded hollow and thin against the noises of the night.

"Your name," he answered at last, glad he'd had at least one she hadn't known already. He loved riddles- it was one thing he had in common with his father.

"I hope Alelle's alright," Shelley said at last. The same thought had been running through Jacob's mind, but he hadn't wanted to voice it. Alelle may have been determined, but she was a small kid, all alone, and if the road branched she wouldn't know which way to go.

"The teachers must know we're missing by now," he said, dodging the statement. He couldn't say much to comfort her. "They'll come looking for us."

"Both my parents are muggles," she said, changing topics again and not meeting his eyes. Her voice was urgent and it was clear that this had been bothering her. "In all the history books I've read, they're skimmed the issue of bloodlines, so I subscribed to one of the newspapers. People really look down on us. Is it true I'm not going to be as good of a witch as a half-blood or pure-blood?"

"I don't think blood has anything to do with power," Jacob said. "But I'm not certain. I hope not. Alelle might know, although I've heard her father's name before- he's some important politician, and a real blood supremacist."

"She didn't seem to judge you for being half."

"No. She didn't."

They were quiet again. For had descended on top of the light rain, chilling them and keeping them damp. Jacob thought again of Alelle. He closed his eyes, wishing they were all back in the carriage, laughing as they wound their way quickly up the scenic mountains. He felt useless, just waiting for someone else to come save him, and considered suggesting that they climb too. When he looked over at Shelley, however, her face was twisted in pain as she rubbed her ankle. He couldn't bring himself to ask.

"What do your parents do?" he wondered instead. A lame question, but something at least to talk about.

"They own a family-run bookstore. According to mom, my great grandfather built it way back when."

"Hence all the reading?"

"I suppose so. What about you?"

"My father's a banker," he said. "Not much of a story there."

"How long have you known about magic?"

"Ever since I can remember."

"Then can you do spells?" she asked eagerly.

He shrugged, uncomfortable. "I've tried one or two. They sort of worked."

She nodded and pulled her wand out of her bag, ran her fingers over the surface. her eyes lit up as she studied the carvings. "I've been too nervous to try any," she admitted.

"I can't wait until we get into classes," he said. "It'll be great to really learn how to do this stuff."

They were quiet again. It had been at least half an hour since Alelle had left, and they could be there for hours more. The air was loud with bugs and animals and water and wind, much louder than he would have thought the countryside could be. So loud that he almost didn't hear the voice from above.

"Hawyer-Bently! Locat! Ay!" The voice was male, deep, strongly accented. Jacob jumped and spun to see the pale face staring down. "I'm Professor Ville. Hope you didn't get too bored down there."

* * *

><p>It felt to Alelle like she had been walking forever, although she knew logically it could only have been a quarter of an hour. It hadn't been so bad when she was with Jacob and Shelley, but now that she was alone, the air felt colder and the night seemed darker. It drizzled as she walked, her curls plastered to the back of her neck and her blouse sticking to her skin. The road was unevenly paved with cobblestones and layered with shadows that made her trip.<p>

There was a fork in the road, a mile up from where they had gone over the side of the road. There weren't any sort of indications as to which way the horses had gone, so far as she could tell. She pulled a coin out of her pocket and flipped it. Heads. Left. She took a deep breath and started down the trail, which led right into the woods. She had only taken a few steps when she heard people talking ahead of her.

"Hello?" she called, furious at the trembling of her voice. She felt in her back pocket for her wand.

Two figures turned the bend and she immediately relaxed. They wore dark wizard robes with the silver 'V' for Vermillion pinned to the chest.

"Alelle Arwort?" the woman asked. She was small and wiry, and Asian. Her face was set, her voice clipped, and her robes perfectly pressed.

"Yes," Alelle said, about ready to cry with relief.

"I am Professor Rai and this this Professor Ville. We teach Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts, respectively."

She hurried over to them. The man was tall and very thin, with dark hair gelled back and eyes that darted constantly from side to side. His robes were baggy and covered with pockets. He didn't greet her but began muttering spells in a melodic Romanian accent. Alelle felt her clothing dry suddenly, and a blanket appeared out of nowhere. He wrapped it around her shoulders, then stepped back to allow Rai to examine her for injuries.

"I'm alright," she said impatiently. "But you have to come help Jacob and Shelley."

"Can you take us to them now?" Rai demanded. "Tell us what happened as we walk."

"It was the horse," Alelle explained, leading them back down the path. "It just went crazy. It broke away from the line and dragged us over a hill." The two teachers exchanged a meaningful look. "What happened?"

"Here," Ville said, pulling a chocolate bar out of one of the pockets. "Eat some. It will help."

"The horses are all actually one horse," Rai explained. "The real one pulls the teachers' carriage, and the rest are merely projections. This is supposed to be a safeguard, to alert us if anything goes wrong. But something must have severed the connection. Your horse was independent for the first time, and we did not realize until we had gotten up to the campus and tried to take role call of the first years."

"So it was on purpose?" Alelle asked eagerly. Maybe there was a mystery here. An adventure.

"Nonsense," snapped Rai. "There are any number of plausible explanations."

"We sorted the other first years already," Ville said apologetically. Alelle wasn't quite sure what to say.

"We're here!" she cried at last. Everyone would be alright. Ville crouched down and peered over the edge of the drop, called out to the other two students. Alelle was finally able to release the tension that had kept her fists clenched the entire walk. She sat on the ground with a thump, watching with a sort of absent awe as the professor levitated them out, Jacob first and then Shelley, and set them on the path where Rei spelled them dry and handed them chocolate. She spent an extra several minutes on Shelley's ankle."I'm glad you made it," Jacob told Alelle, giving her a one-armed hug.

She squeezed him back, hard. "I'm glad you didn't get eaten or anything."

Shelley joined them. Rei cast a soft-spoken spell and a large white snake emerged from her wand. All three students flinched back and Shelley gasped quietly. The snake slithered off into the woods, and several moments later, a bushy white fox reemerged.

"We are ready for you," it spoke clearly, then dissolved. The three stared at each other, puzzled.

"Several enchantments were lifted," Rai explained. "So that we would not need to walk back to the castle." She pulled a golden pen out of her robes. "Instead we will take a portkey. Please take hold."

Each of the three plus Professor Ville laid a finger on the pen. Alelle squeezed her eyes shut, relieved to sense Jacob and Shelley pressing in on either side of her. Then she felt her feet leave the ground.

* * *

><p>They landed on a mountaintop, and the high altitude or perhaps the view took Shelley's breath away. Up here the clouds were gone, stars absolutely brilliant against the purple night. They stood on a grassy ridge overlooking a drop to the rocky side of the mountain. Other peaks arced up in the distance, shadows against the sky. Far below, lights of a town shone brightly.<p>

"This way, please," Rai said behind her. She turned and saw, for the first time, the Vermillion Institute of Magic.

It was not one building, but rather a tidy collection. They were, for the most part, standard brick, with enormous glass windows decorating the sides. There was one rocky cliff with matching windows cut into it, and a few carvings on the side. The grass was cut evenly, flowers springing up, and streetlights and statues appeared here and there to light up the smooth cobblestone paths. A roaring in the air spoke of a waterfall nearby, and lights shone brightly, welcomingly in each window.

Shelley was smiling again, smiling broadly. The events of the evening faded to unimportance in face of what was to come.

She fell in line behind Alelle and Jacob as they walked into the Common Building, the largest and closest to where they had appeared. The entrance hall alone was enormous, and directly ahead she could see the dining room, hear students laughing and shouting. But they were led off into a side room on the left.

"You will wait here until another teacher arrives to handle your sorting." Rai turned on her heel and walked briskly to the dining hall, Ville following behind with his head down and his hands withdrawn into his sleeves.

"I hope we're in the same house," Shelley said suddenly, echoing Alelle's words from earlier and surprising herself. She didn't like the thought of having to start of and find new friends, now that she actually had some.

"Even if we aren't, we'll still be friends," Alelle said confidently, reaching out to squeeze her hand.

A young woman cleared her throat and all three jumped. She had entered the room without attracting any attention and glanced bashfully to each of the students. Her hair was very dark and she wore it in a short pixie cut. Her eyes were vividly green and she was really rather pretty.

"Hello," she said, giving them all a smile. "I'm Professor Vida Taylor. I'm the head of Ashrod house, and this is actually my first year here as well. We were all very worried about you; I'm so glad to see you're alright." She was by far the kindest adult they had met yet at Vermillion, and Shelley relaxed a bit. Still, the sorting would determine her entire future at the school. Her breath caught in her throat.

"You're going to go into that room, where I will ask you a question. Based on your answer, you will be placed into one of the three houses. I will give you your robes, and then you may join your table in the dining hall. Are you all ready?"

They glanced around nervously at each other, and nodded.

"Very well, then. I'll take Jacob first." He flashed them a deer-in-the-headlights look as he followed her off into a second side room. They waited for probably 5 minutes before the woman called out for Alelle.

"Wish me luck," she whispered and hurried off. Shelley began pacing around the room, unhappy at finding herself alone. Jacob had already been sorted and was out there. Alelle was undergoing it now. She wondered what the question would be- a riddle? a logic problem? a moral determination?

It was only about two minutes this time before Taylor called her into the room. There was no sign of either of the other two.

"Please sit down," Taylor said. Shelley did so, gripping the edges of the seat tightly. "There's really nothing to worry about. Just relax. I need you to place your hand on this watch. I'm going to ask you a question. You don't need to say anything- just think."

"Okay," Shelley gulped. It was a bulky pocketwatch, and oddly cold beneath her fingers.

"You are walking along a road when you come to a river. There is no bridge, no boat, and no other way around. How do you get across?"

_What an odd question_, she thought, considering. There wasn't one right answer, she knew that, it was all about which answer she came up with. It wasn't a trick, it was logic. What would be the easiest, most sensible way to cross?

Before she even had time to decide, Professor Taylor was gently taking the watch from her. "That wasn't so hard," she said, holding it up. The hands were both pointing to a beautifully curling L. "Laywilt. Here are your robes. Put them on and head right in through there." Taylor stood and, giving her one last smile, left the room. Shelley took a deep breath- it was over now. The hard part was done. She wondered again about Jacob and Alelle as she pulled the robes on over her clothes and did the clasp with shaking fingers. Then she stepped to the door and pushed it open.

* * *

><p><strong>Pretty please leave a review! The best incentive to keep writing.<strong>


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